


Back At Home

by Corb3aunoir



Series: Happily Ever After? [3]
Category: Choices - Stories you play, Endless Summer (Visual Novel), PlayChoices
Genre: F/M, Gay Male Character, LDR, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-10-29 18:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10859514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corb3aunoir/pseuds/Corb3aunoir
Summary: The gang - except Jake - is back at college; the main character (MC) tries to prove Jake's innocent in the arms trade affair - with the help of his friends - while he tries to stay in touch with Jake and manage this whole Long-Distance Relationship.Meanwhile Raj moves in with Diego and Michelle, Zahra, Quinn and Estela have to find new apartments.Just about their first few months back in the U.S.* * *Chapter 1:PrologueAs the title says: the prologue for the following chapters; showing what happened to the college students after La Huerta; how they're keeping up.Chapter 2:Best Friends Part 1Diego is thinking about falling in love with Raj, his platonic love for the MC, the behavior of his best friend during the previous weeks, and how everything has changed over the last year.MC meets his ex again and decides to spend the afternoon with his best friend, rather than going to some boring classes.Chapter 3:Best Friends Part 2-------------------------------------Chapter 4:A Friend Or A Foe?(coming out soon,10% finished)* * *





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Diego wasn't completely right, when he assumed that MC's lack of sleep was solely caused by his want to get through all the documents and all the background information. MC hadn't been sleeping much because of terrible nightmares and really strange dreams, that were something in between, too. Dreams about losing Diego, abandoning his best friend, leaving him alone with the Watcher._   
>  _"Hadn't I been able to avoid this? Yes, I had been able, for fuck's sake! I'd just had to convince them all to follow the strangers to their city in the trees. It had saved us all an awful lot of time and trouble. And Michelle, Quinn and the others wouldn't need to look for new flats and dorms now!"_

The first weeks back in the U.S. were kind of stressful but yet uneventfully. The homecomers had a lot to do after they had been away for such a long time – it had been a whole year after all. They had to reschedule their classes, to clean up their small apartments or even had to find new dorms or flats at all, since they had been believed dead and due to that the most landlords had relet their places and shed their furniture and other belongings. Michelle for example had lost her room in her sorority house, Quinn's roommate sublet, too, and Estela's belongings were now stored in a storage facility. Sean and Craig were much luckier since their fraternity had left their stuff untouched, and Grace had been able to move into one of her mother's real estates nearby the campus.  
MC and Diego were also happy to find out that their landlord hadn't bothered to contact their immediate family members and to move their belongings around town and to insert an advertisement and to look out for a new renter. Instead he had put sheets all over their furniture and started to use the appartment as his personal storeroom.  
Hence most of the gang either spend the first weeks to go on a apartment hunt and to locate and move there things around town or to clean up their rooms and to help the others with their searching and provide them with couches to crash on. While Zahra, Quinn, Estela and Michelle stayed at Grace's place, which was surprisingly spacious, while Raj stayed at with Diego's and MC's.

"MC!", Diego stuck his head in the door of his best friend's room.  
"Raj has dinner ready.“  
"Not hungry", MC replied toneless, without even looking at Diego. His eyes remained glued to the screen of his computer, while he was slowly scrolling through the documents in front of him, reading them surprisingly fast - a skill he had acquired only a few weeks ago.  
"Whatcha reading?"  
By now Diego was in the middle of MC's room, and was able to get a look on the screen.  
"Is this still something from the flash driver?"  
"Well, yes...no. I needed to look some things up. See, I don't wanna mess it up. Everything must be right, and watertight or we're screwed up; Jake's screw up."  
MC sighed.  
"There won't be a second chance, okay."  
Another sigh and a moment in silence.  
"See, that's why I have to make everything fucking right. I mustn't do any mistake."  
Now it was Diego's turn to sigh.  
"I know, you wanna do perfectly, but you shouldn't neglect yourself, MC. Imagine I wouldn't sleep more than a few hours per day and wouldn't eat without being forced to."  
"Diego, as much as I appreciate your input - and yeah, I know you're just trying to help, but I'm doing this for Jake, and myself too, and I'll go mad if I can't do it while I've got a chance. I'm really not hungry, Diego. Believe me please and let me read this fuckin' shit, please.“  
Another long sigh from Diego. His eyes displayed his inner turmoil whether to let his best friend sit there alone in his room or pulling him out and - if needed - force him to eat. The latter option was pick, since there was no need to fight now. That wouldn't help anyone at all. So he just nod and headed toward the door.  
"Hey" Diego turned around.  
"Say Raj, I'm sorry, okay?"  
"Sure, Buddy."  
  
Diego wasn't completely right, when he assumed that MC's lack of sleep was solely caused by his want to get through all the documents and all the background information. MC hadn't been sleeping much because of terrible nightmares and really strange dreams, that were something in between, too. Dreams about losing Diego, abandoning his best friend, leaving him alone with the Watcher.  
_Hadn't I been able to avoid this? Yes, I had been able, for fuck's sake! I'd just had to convince them all to follow the strangers to their city in the trees. It had saved us all an awful lot of time and trouble. And Michelle, Quinn and the others wouldn't need to look for new flats and dorms now!_

This thoughts were keeping him awake, too. And thinking about Jake; thinking about what he told him the last time they'd skyped - which was usually in the evening, about how or what the pilot was doing when it hadn't been possible for them to check in with each other. He had told Jake about the flash driver and the data on it, just a few weeks ago when he had been sure that it was not a dead end, and he had kept it short, hadn't gone into much details – just everything that could be told and explained within a quarter of an hour. MC didn't want to spend even his precious, and often way too short, time with Jake going over everything he had accomplished early in the day – just the importent and the major achivements were worth to be told.  
Apart from that they spent their time talking about anything and everything else. And it was the best part of MC's day. Definitely.  
And this evening wasn't a difference. Jake would probably call between 10 or 11pm leaving him roughly two to three hours to take order the previously found information on the flash driver, to save them on another one, the put them into arrange them together with his notes into a proper order and then – if they'll be any time left, I'd be able to study for his next exams.  
It shouldn't be surprisingly that studying wasn't number one on his _To Do List_ right now. It was rather point three after “Getting every information out of those documents and it all right, making every proof of Mike's and Jake's innocence watertight.“ and “Helping the others to settle back in and find places to live permanently“.

"Hey, Bro", suddenly Raj was standing in the doorway, a big plate with delicious smelling food in one of his hands.  
"Brought ya some food.", he explained.  
"Can I come in?"  
MC just noded. And Raj entered his room and placed the dish on MC's desk.  
"Thanks", MC replied without looking up from the screen.  
"Any progress, huh?", Raj asked, leaning a bit forward to get a better look on the documents on display.  
"Yeah, but it's still a lot.", MC sighed with a shrug.  
"Ya know, I'll help ya, right?"  
For the first time MC looked up now, turned around and gave his friend a small but sincere smile.  
"I know. Thank you, Bud. Thanks. But not tonight. Maybe tomorrow?“  
“Yeah, sure. Whatever ya want“, Raj smile genuinely.  
“Gotta, no classes after 1pm. Just gimme a shout when ya ready.“; Raj declared and gave MC a pat on the shoulder before turning around and exiting the room.  
Out from the corner of his eye he glanced at the food Raj had just brought him, and wondered, as he had wondered many, many times over the last weeks, how he deserved to have friends like this. Probably either everyone of them deserved the others, or none of them did. Perhaps it was not much about _deserving_ and _not deserving_ , but rather about being stuck together – after all they had gone through, and now they simply needed each other, regardless of whether they wanted or not. They simply had to be there for the gang, because there was no one outside of the gang, who could understand it all.  
The food was delicious – just as everything that was made by Raj. He was really an absolute amazing chef and MC was happy that he offered them to do the cooking for them while he was staying in Diego's and MC's flat. While eating the pasta his new cohabitee had made, he scroled through the records of some precedential cases, and made a mental note to contact a well trusted legal adviser and to update Aleister, Grace and Estela – who had all been helping him a lot so far and who he had told the most about all the progress. Aleister because he was the one who had given him the flash driven, and Grace, because Aleister had not been able to keep it a secret from her. Ad Estela knew about it more than all of the others because he had needed her advice – and also due to the fact that it was not possible to tell Estela just half-truths, you just had to tell her either all or nothing. And MC had chosen the first option.  
  
MC was just about to start reading another precedential case, when a sound anounced that someone wanted to video chat with him. He hurried up and over to his bed, flung himself onto it, reached for his laptop and answered the call, everything within seconds.  
“Hey, Boy Scout“, he heard the familiar voice of the pilot.  
“Hi, Jake. How ya doing?“  
“I'm fine, been a bitch of a day, but other than that....“, he didn't bother to continue his sentence and just grinned, and MC felt his heart skipping a beat or two.  
“Yeah, kinda the same here. How's work at the airport?“  
“It's okay, I mean I need to make some money and it's wel-paid, but I miss Delilah.“  
There were a few seconds of silence before Jake cleared his throat with aslight cough.

“Whatever, spill it, Boy Scout!“  
“Spill what?“, MC asked, actually confused.  
Jake just cocked an eyebrow at him.  
“The conspiracy data stuff Malfoy gave ya, that might prove that I'm as inoncent as newborn baby?“, it was solely a rhetorical question.  
“It's fuckin' much data, you know“, MC sighed heavily.  
“I've been on it the whole day. Fuck, I even got up hours before my first class...“, MC trailed off.  
“Did ya sleep at all last night?“  
_And here again was this damn raised eyebrow!_  
“Na, not much.“, MC sighed defeated.“But not because of the data crap. Nightmares are back...“, he added fast. The last thing he wanted was to worry Jake about this. He would be fine eventually. Most likely it was just a matter of time; something that would dissolve itself.  
However, Jake didn't seem to be convienced.  
“I bet you'd tell me if it become worse, right?“  
“Sure, why wouldn't I want to pester you with my crap and make you worry over something you couldn't change?“, MC snorted. Apparently the lack of sleep and food was making him short tempered and quite a bit unreasonable.  
“MC, please.“, Jake's voice wasn't loud, and it didn't sound angry. But it wasn't gently either. It was a almost too calm tone that got MC's full attention.  
„Sorry, Jake. I don't want ya to worry, and I'll be fine. I promise. I'm just a bit tired and stressed out, yeah. But that's nothing I can't handle, okay?“, he stated now, much calmer than before.  
Jake sighed.  
MC sighed.  
“Good boy.“, the pilot smiled, and MC soaked up his praise like a spoon; feeling a light tingle in his stomach, as always when Jake called him _Boy_ or _Boy Scout_ and gave him one of his incedible disarming smiles.  
“Can we talk about something else now?“, MC yawned after a short period of pleasant silence.  
“Like what? How ya should put yerself into bed and try to sleep? Or about how much I miss ya, and about all the things I'm gonna do when I see ya again, hm?“  
MC just smiled , snuggled deeper into the soft pillows onto his bed.  
“The latter would be great“, he proclaimed, and yawned while he rubbed his sleepy eyes.  
“Just tell me what'cha gonna do“  
“That's what ya want as your bedtime story, hm?“, Jake just grinned.  
“Yapp, that'd be nice.“, MC replied faux-sheepishly, earning a quiet chuckle from Jake.  
“Okay, but don't ya blame me later, when ya can't sleep because ya missin' me to much...“

 

 

  
Tbc.

 


	2. Best Friends (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Secretly, Diego has been in love with MC since he met him for the very first time, but he had never had the illusion that he could ever get out of the friend zone, and that was just fine. He had always thought of himself as MC's sidekick and he had got used to it; even liked it. And so he hadn't been angry or sad when MC and Jake had started to date. By that time he had already come to the conclusion that he would never find a boyfriend, and would always be just the best friend, the sidekick – and that had seemed to be okay. After all that also meant that he wouldn't have to come out to his conservative family."_

Under different circumstances Diego wouldn't have done something like that. After all he was dating this guy for merely a few weeks. But since La Huerta "normal" wasn't a real thing anymore. They had all become so close with each other, that Diego and MC had not needed any time to think about it. Of course Raj would stay with them while he was looking for a new apartment. And since that, Raj was living with them, and Diego really enjoyed the presence of the Indian guy. They had become closer over the last months on that wicked island, and surprisingly, Diego had fallen for the other guy. And those feelings seemed to be mutual; something Diego had never dared to imagine. After all, he was just MC's sidekick, right? Secretly, Diego has been in love with MC since he met him for the very first time, but he had never had the illusion that he could ever get out of the friend zone, and that was just fine. He had always thought of himself as MC's sidekick and he had got used to it; even liked it. And so he hadn't been angry or sad when MC and Jake had started to date. By that time he had already come to the conclusion that he would never find a boyfriend, and would always be _just_ the best friend, the sidekick – and that had seemed to be okay. After all that also meant that he wouldn't have to come out to his conservative family.  
And then, during his time on La Huerta, he had started to hang out with Raj; a guy who might not be his type – at least not on the first sight. But on the second, and he had started to really enjoy his company.  
“Whatcha thinkin' about?“, Raj was sitting on the other side of the small kitchen table, facing him, eating his second helping of scrambled eggs while Diego's first one was mostly untouched.  
“Nothing“, the adressed one mumbled.  
“Just thinkin' about everything.......and I'm worried about MC.“  
It was not really a lie; actually it was a half-truth. In fact, he was worried about his best friend, who had already left for classes, without eating breakfast with them, and who had been spending most of his time with working through various data on his laptop – mostly alone, but from time to time also with Aleister, Grace, Zahra, Estela and Raj.  
“Is that all, bud?“, Raj sounded as gentle and casual as always, but Diego detected something that  
looked like concern in the other one's eyes.  
“Well, 'm thinking about everything what happened, too.“, he started slowly. He took a deep breath and occupied himself with picking at his food, to buy some time to think about how much he wanted to tell Raj and how he wanted to tell him. But before he had the chance to do so, his alarm clock went off.  
“Oh, guess I'll better get ready for class“, he stated, just a bit relieved.  
“Yeah, me too.“, Raj replied while he got up to put the dirty dishes in the sink.  
Diego hurried to get his stuff together and he was almost out of the door, when a strong hand got hold of his wrist.  
“Ya know ya can talk to me, right?“, Raj asked soberly. A small but genuinely smile on his face.  
“Yeah,....I guess I do.“, Diego uttered, and immediately wanted to slap himself for sounding like a gibbering idiot. But due to obvious reasons he couldn't. So instead, he cleared his throat.  
“Thank you, Raj“, he managed to say much calmer, and gave Raj a sheepish smile.

 

Diego was just right in time for his first class for this day and told himself that he would be able to stay focused. And he managed it – almost. Most of the time he was able to keep himself occupied with taking notes and listening to the professor, but at the end of class he caught himself writing a message to MC, and then glaring at his phone every few seconds to check if he had replied. But MC seemed to be taking his time – well, after all he had a class himself, now. _But he probably_ , Diego thought, _isn't paying any attention to it, but works on his laptop to clear Jake's name and prove his innocence regarding the arm trade affair._  
“Hey, dude. Everything okay?“  
_Huh?_ Diego was pulled out of his thoughts by someone tipping on his shoulder.  
“Yeah?“, he managed to answer after a few seconds.  
“Good for you. Class' over and I wanna get out“, the girl next to him replied matter-of-factly.  
And just then Diego realized that he was blocking her path, so he hurried to stand up and stepped out of the row, letting her pass. Then he stuffed his notes into his backpack and cast a glance at his phone. MC had finally answered him, told him that he would wait for him in the coffee shop on campus. Happy that his best friend had replied, relieved that the other agreed to spend some time with him and to take a break from working through all those data, but also angry for the late reply, Diego rushed out of the lecture hall, out of the building and to a building on the opposite side of the campus, where the coffee shop was located.  
  
MC was waiting, more or less patiently, and checking his phone every few minutes to make sure that he wouldn't miss another message from his best friend. But there was no reply. So he tried to get his eyes off the screen and took a few sips from his coffee to occupy himself otherwise, while he let his gaze wander through the café, that slowly started to fill with students. Luckily his profressor had finished earlier and the room had not been too far away from the coffee shop, so that he had been able to get his cappuccino before the rush hour.  
While he was casually watching the other students meeting their friends for coffee, and placing their orders, while still looking out for Diego, he spotted a all too familiar face. And it was not Diego, or any other one of the gang, but someone he hadn't seen in a very long time, someone he had not wished to see again – if he was honest with himself. It was Carter; his ex-boyfriend.  
They hadn't been together for a very long time, merely a half year and their break-up had not been particularly amicably. And it had been MC, who had ultimately put an end to their relationship. So logically MC was not really happy to see Carter again and had absolutely no intention to talk to him ever again – especially not now, when he had more important things on his mind; and clearly just everyhing was more important than having an weird conversation with his ex. But MC had no luck, Carter had spoted him too and was making his way through the shop to MC's table.  
“Hello MC.“, he smile, and immediately felt a cold shiver running down his spine.  
“Can I sit there?“, Carter asked with pointing at the chair opposite to MC's.

“If you absolutely must...“, MC heard himself snarl and instantely berated himself for behaving like a little child. _Damnit MC, you can at least be civilized! He won't go away any faster if you rant at him like that. You fucking know how much he enjoys this, for fuck's sake!_

“Oh, yes. I must. I've been wondering for since I heard that you were back, when I would see you again, MC. If I didn't know you better, I would almost think that you are avoiding me. Luckily I do know you better, MC. Right.“, Carter sneered and MC wanted nothing more than to cut that smile out of his face. But instead he kept himself calm and responded with demostrative composure:  
“The world doesn't revolves around you, and neither does my life, Carter. To be honest, I haven't even given a thought to you at all during the last year.“  
Carter was stunned for a few seconds and MC cherished the time, enjoying the sight of his ex being speechless. But the moment seemed to be gone way to fast and MC steeled himself for whatever stupidity or snorty remark Carter would come up now. But just when the other one was about to say something, MC heard another familiar voice that was directed to him. _Oh, sweet Diego, you're a fucking lifesaver! Damn, I love you!_  
“Am I interupting anything?“, Diego asked when he was standing right behind Carter, who'd turned around abruptly.  
“Hey, Diego? Always the lovely guard dog.“, Carter replied with a scornful smile.  
“Guess I'll see you around then“, he adressed MC before standing up and leaving the table and the coffee shop – fortunately, at least in MC's mind.  
“What did _he_ wanted from you?“, Diego asked the second he was seated next to his best friend.  
“You mean beside being a pain in the ass? I don't know...“, MC signed and took a big gulp from his hot beverage.  
“Anyway“, MC began to speak, “ I've just found out that I have no classes this afternoon. So if ya free, too“  
“Yes! Yes“, Diego cut him off. He hadn't anything scheduled for later that day, and he was kind of desperate for some quality time with his best friend.  
MC just respond with cocking an eyebrow and a low, amused chuckle. If he was honest with himself, MC knew that Diego had been missing their time together in the previous weeks, and if he was even more honest he had to admit, that he had missed spending time with his best friend, too. Telling Diego that he hadn't any classes that afternoon was, matter-of-fact, a lie. Actually he had two more semi-important lectures to attend to, but I had already come to the decision to take the rest of the day off in order to catch up on some series and eat tons of Chinese food together with his flatmate. Right now that seemed way more important than some boring seminars and wearisome afternoon-lectures. Plus, by now MC had realized that he couldn't hide behind the screen of his laptop forever and should cultivate his friendships.  
  
“I thought we could watch some of the latest _Doctor Who_ episodes, play _Mario Kart_ and have food from _Old Szechuan._ “, MC explained when he and Diego where leaving the coffee shop with two steamy cups of double espresso.

“You know that I love you, right?“, Diego beamed at him, visibly happy.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might be a little short, BUT the next chapter is almost finished - so it'll be continued soon. :)


	3. Best Friends (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **"**   
>  _“Thanks, love“, MC grinned while popping down beside Diego._   
>  _“Hey, Aragorn! Whatcha doing?“, he then addressed Jake._   
>  _“Ya mean besides waiting for ya finishing your shower, Pretty Boy?“, Jake retorted with a crooked smile. ___  
>  _“Apart from that, yeah“ ___  
>  _“Well, I was havin' a little chat with Pop Culture Petey and enjoying the life of leisure at a caribbean beach bar.“, the pilot replied with raising his glass to the screen._   
>  _“Ouh, I start getting jealous, Aragorn.“, MC countered._   
>  _“Maybe I should be envious of Diego. Havin' ya hangin' around half-naked, gettin' called love.“, Jake replied dryly with a cocked eyebrow._   
>  _“You wanna me to call you love? Wouldn't be movin' a bit too fast?“, the other guy noted._   
>  _There was a dry chuckle, followed by a brief time of silence. Then Diego stood up, clearing his throat._   
>  **"**

Diego was great. He always made him laugh, cheered him up and listened to him, but also put up with his mess and gave him a piece of his mind when ever necessary. He was his most trusted friend, his best friend, maybe even his platonic love. And the last couple months he had neglected him in order to make some progress on this whole arm trade conspiracy thing. He pushed Diego away. He had hurt him, not intentionally, of course. And not physically, but emotionally - what was even worse. After leaving this wicked island by the name of La Huerta and getting back to college, the two of them had had enough to talk about and to catch up on. Like what happened in the months Diego had been alone with the _Watchers_. Or the fact that Diego had sacrificed himself. How desperate he had been to find him, how deeply he cared for his best friend and how idiotic and stupid it was to play the hero and that he had never been able to live on with the knowledge zu that his beloved best friend had always thought of himself as a sidekick, and nothing more. But Diego was so much more than just a sidekick. And it was important for MC to make sure Diego knew how much he meant to him and how special he was.  
And in order to do that, he had to get plenty of snacks for the afternoon, and therefore he had to go shopping – food shopping. Nothing he liked in particular. It was on his list of _Less favorite things to do_ right on third place right behind cuddling with a sabbertooth and walking over lava lakes. Actually walking over a rust catwalk, just a few feet above a blazing hot lake of molten stone, seemed a lot nicer than roaming through the supermarket aisles looking for chips with salt and vinegar, salted caramel popcorn, cheetos, guacemole and tortilla chips. Or basically the food Diego was always craving for when watching Doctor Who with his best friend. And so MC filled his cart to the brim – not just for this day, but also to refill their stock – with lots and lots of food, respectively snacks and junk food, and alcoholic beverages, such as beer, tequilla, rum; and non-alcoholic beverages as well. Apparently their landlord had not only used their flat to store his own stuff, he had also helped himself with their bar. Which was why MC took the chance to get everything they might needed for the next couple weeks in one trip.  
It took him almost an hour to make it through the supermarket and to checkout area. He was in a bit of a hurry, even though he had still enough time to make it back home to unload the food before ordering the usual from _Old Szechuan_ – Diego's and his favorite chinese restaurant in town. But MC just felt uncomfortable in the cold supermarket checkout area, that was filled with the whining of little – or not so little – children and their totally stressed out parents, people, who needed hours to find the right credit card or argued with the cashier why they couldn't split the bill on two, three or for of their cards, or people, who had forgotten a thing or two at the far and of the market and then made all the others wait for them to return.  
When he thought it couldn't get any worse, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around reflexively and felt his heart skipping a beat when he saw who was standing there right behind him. It was Carter. Francis Carter Williams. The guy he had already met early the same day in the coffee shop on campus; his ex. With sparkling green eyes and a mischievous smile Carter looked down at him ,for what felt like an eternity, without saying anything, and MC wasn't neither able to avert his eyes, nor could he manage to say something. His facial muscles, as well as the rest of his body, felt frozen and he could not bring himself to break free and shake it off.  
Then finally the silence was broken be a very annoyed cashier demanding that MC would pay for his purchase. Deeply embarrassed he realized that he had completely zoned out and had blanked out everything around him. He mumbled an excuse to the checkout girl rather hastily and grabbed his bags and dumped them into his cart, and hurried to the exit.  
Thankfully nobody, at least nobody he cared about, had been there to witness that awkward information, he though while loading the groceries into the trunk of his car. He was just about to finish when he heard a baritone voice behind him and smelled the quite too familiar scent of cigarettes, fresh coffee, peppermint and citrus fruit.

“Carter, what is it you want?“, he blurted out while spinning around to look his ex boyfriend straight in the eye.  
“Actually I just wanna check in with you. See if you're alright after bolting out there.“, he jerked his head back to the supermarket building behind them.  
When MC didn't bothered with an answer, the older guy hesitated a frew moments before clearing his throat.  
“Uhm, I also wanna apologize for earlier.“  
MC just cocked an eyebrow.  
“Yeah, look – I know, I acted like an total jerk.“, Carter started.

 _You don't say!_ , MC added in his head but kept quiet.

“But I guess I banged up, when I'd heard that you were back after months and you hadn't even bothered to let me know that you're okay, at the very least.“  
“Well, we hadn't exactly part on good terms if I recall correctely.“, MC countered couldly.  
“I know“, Carter sighed and MC thought that he started to sound a bit frustrated now.  
“But you could've called or send a text message at least. Just something like _Hey, it's me. I'm still alive and you're still a dick, fuck off._ “  
MC caught himself starting to smile about his ex's stupid joke, but was just in time to prevent the smile from appearing on his face.  
_Don't feed his ego, idiot!_

“Well, I don't have your number anymore. And besides, I thought everyone and his mom got the news that I and the others were back.“

“Fair enough.“, Carter replied. _Apparently admitting defeat,_ MC thought and smiled to himself, celebrating this small victory, when Carter pulled somthing out of his jacket and thrusted it into his hand.  
“Here, my number. And my new address.“, Carter explained.

“Just in case“, he added with a wink.

“Goodbye, MC.“, he called over his shoulder while walking away to his own car.

MC exhaled a long breath, he hadn't realized he was holding when he saw Carter getting into his car and pulling out of the parking lot.  
He climped into his car and tossed the Carter's card on the passenger seatm before starting the engine.

He was happy to finde the flat empty, when he entered it almost an hour after leaving the supermarket's parking lot. The traffic had been awful despite the fact that it was early in the afternoon and therefore hours before the rush hour. He swiftly but the groceries away and decided that it was almost time to order the food. He made the call and then judged that he had still enough time to take a quick shower. He tried to hurry up, but the warm water was just to glorious. So he spent the first ten minutes just standing there, enjoying the warmth, pondering about everything in the last couple months since he was back at college, and, most recently, seeing a shadow of his past again. He took his sweet time showering and by the time he emerged from the steamy bathroom, with just a towel around his hips, he was greeted by the sight of his best friend lying on their couch with his eyes clued to the screen of his phone. _His phone._  
“I'm interupting anything?“, MC asked giving Diego a startle what earnt him a low chuckle from the person, Diego was facetiming with.  
“Fuck! MC! Whatcha doing here?“, Diego questioned when he had recovered form his little “shock“.  
“I live here? By the way, that's my phone, right?“, MC stated pointing at his phone, that was still in Diego's hand.  
“Oh, I just got the call 'cause you weren't around.“, Diego replied, settle back into a more comfortable position on the couch.  
“It's Jake. I thought you didn't want to miss it.“, he went one with a cheeky smile, handing MC his phone.  
“Thanks, love“, MC grinned while popping down beside Diego.

“Hey, Aragorn! Whatcha doing?“, he then addressed Jake.  
“Ya mean besides waiting for ya finishing your shower, Pretty Boy?“, Jake retorted with a crooked smile.  
“Apart from that, yeah“

“Well, I was havin' a little chat with Pop Culture Petey and enjoying the life of leisure at a caribbean beach bar.“, the pilot replied with raising his glass to the screen.  
“Ouh, I start getting jealous, Aragorn.“, MC countered.  
“Maybe I should be envious of Diego. Havin' ya hangin' around half-naked, gettin' called _love_.“, Jake replied dryly with a cocked eyebrow.  
“You wanna me to call you _love_? Wouldn't be movin' a bit too fast?“, the other guy noted.  
There was a dry chuckle, followed by a brief time of silence. Then Diego stood up, clearing his throat.  
“That's my clue.“, he mumbled, almost apologetically, before he left the living area of their apartment, disapearing in his room.  
“So, now that we've got the whole place for ourselves,...“, Jake started suggestively.  
“I'm not sure if I can catch your drift....“  
“Oh, ya sure, Boy Scourt?“  
“Maybe you could elucidate what you mean...?“  
Jake grinned, licking his lips. He was about to say something when there was a knock on the door.  
MC was about to ignore it. But then there was another knock; then another more louder one.  
“Sorry, I've gotta answer that. It's probably our food.“  
He jumped off the couch, leaving the phone – and Jake – there and rummaged through the pockets of his jacket, searching for his wallet, before opening the door.  
MC was right; it was the delievery girl from _Old Szechuan_ with the food he had ordered earlier. Thanks to their devinely landlord, the bell at the front door had been broken and not repaired for months, but that had not been a problem since the front door was never locked, and usually left open during the day.  
Thanking the girl and tipping her extra for climbing all those stair, MC took the order and placed it on the couchtable, then got back to Jake.  
“Sorry, Aragorn. Food's there. We'll talk later, yeah?“  
“Ya ditchin' me for food, Boy Scout?“  
“Well, what should I say“, MC shrugged.  
“Haven't eaten all day.“  
“Yeah, I get it. Bye, Boy Scout. See ya.“, Jake saluted in return, then ended the call.  
MC smiled to himself, while getting some beer out of the fridge.  
Then he headed to his own room to put on some sweatpants and a shirt.  
“You can come out now, Diego! Food's there!“  
“Did you say food?“, Diego popped his head out of his room, sniffing the air.  
“Hm, that smells delicious, dude.“  
“Yeah, come on now. I ordered the usual. Let's eat before the foods cold and the beer warm.“  
  
* * *  
  
They ate there food while watching _Last Christmas,_ followed by the first eleven episodes of season 9. By the time they finished _Face the_ Raven, it was past midnight. They had drunken some more beers, and Diego had almost eaten all of the salt and vinegar chips, while his friend had helped himself with the popcorn and some chocolate chip ice cream. Now they were lazily lying on the small couch, silently debating whether to watch the remaining two episodes and finish the season, or to save it for the next day.  
“Maybe we should head to bed...I mean we both got classes tomorrow morn, right?“  
“Yeah, maybe. Hey, you want another beer?“  
Without waiting for an answer MC got up the couch and trotted to the fridge and retrieved two cans of beer. Back by the couch, he handed one to Diego and popped down beside him.  
“Cheers, pal.“  
“Cheers, MC.“  
They both opened there beers, and drank, sitting there for a minute in comfortable silence.  
“So, you and Raj, hm.“  
“Yeah.“, Diego replied with a shy smile.  
“It's not official, you know. But I guess I like him. And he probably likes me, too.“  
“You _guess_ you like him? Pretty sure everyone and their mom can tell that you _like_ him.“, MC chuckled.  
“And _probably_ everyone and their mom know that he _likes_ you, too.“  
“You think so?“, Diego mumbled, more to himself.  
“Yes, I do, Diego.“, MC reasurred his best friend with an encouraging smile.  
Diego didn't bother with a response. He just sat there, eyes clued to the frozen TV screen, nipping at his beer. Then he finally broke the silence with a deep sigh.  
“You know, MC....I never had a boyfriend.“, he made a slight pause, taking another sip of his beer.  
“I had a girlfriend, back in Highschool, you know? My whole family liked her. A lot. And she was probably my best friend back then.“  
“But...?“  
“Well, I didn't work out. Guess I've always known that I was _different_.“, Diego stated, stressing the last word.  
“My family didn't like when we broke up. Blaming me. Asking what the hell was wrong with me. Why I screwed up. You see, my family isn't that open-minded, pretty conservative.....never has been. So I never told anybody that I've never been _that_ much into Emily, that was her name, that I wasn't that much into girls at all, well, they'd kicked me out for good.“, Diego stopped to take a deep breath and another sip of his drink.  
“So I never dated a guy. You know?“  
“I know, we've been living together for a couple years now, Diego.“  
Diego answered with a faint smile. Just enough to ensure that MC knew that he was not offended by what he just said.  
“You're nervous?“  
“What do you think? Of course I am! I'm fucking nervous!“, Diego exclaimed and with a sigh he sunk further back down into the backrest of the sofa.  
“Yeah, I know how that feels.“, MC stated in a low voice, then moved a hand to Diego's head and ruffled his hair.  
“Stop that!“, Diego started, but his protest was merely half-hearted. He snuggled nearer to MC and used the shoulder of his best friend as a head rest.  
“You're nervous?“, he mumbled after they had been sitting there for a couple minutes in comfortable silence.  
“Because of what exactly? You mean proving that Jake and his friend were innocent and that this asshole of a commander was actually the one running arm trades? Figuring out whether we should involve the authorities with these data or just give anything to the press as Estale suggested? Because it's not the safest thing to do? Or do you mean this whole Jake and I relationship thing? Odds are against us, right? We haven't seen each other for months, just face timing for a couple of hours a week, I don't even no I've we're officially _dating_ and besides it'd probably better if we'll start living our lives and forget about what happened back on those frickin' island.“  
MC made a pause, shaking his head and smiling bitterly to himself. He took a big gulp from his beer; almost emptying the can.  
“Honestly, Diego. I'm not just frickin' nervous. I've got absolutley no idea what to do, or what's going to happen next.“  
“Now my insecurities seem completely minor and unimportant.“, Diego huffed.  
„No, Diego. Your problems matter as much. You've done so much for us lately. For me. And you, Diego Ricardo Ortiz Soto, you matter to me. Okay? Whatever's happenin'; I'll have your back, 'kay?“, MC reassured him and placed a soft kiss on top of Diego's head.  
“Okay.“, repeated smiling softly.

 


End file.
